Friday, November 29, 2013

Cockneys Vs. Zombies ,

Scream Factory
2013

This review is long-overdue. I realize that. No excuses though. Still, up front I'll just say that while it's no "Shaun of the Dead" it's about as close as you can get while still keeping things a bit more "original". It's also a much watch for fans of zombie comedy. Filled with plenty of laughs and a surprising heavy amount of gore, as well as a different take on the how and why the living dead come to attack our unlikely hero's hometown, "Cockneys Vs. Zombies" impressed me more then "Warm Bodies" (which in my rankings was WAY better then the cluster**k "World War Z"!). From the moment I saw the trailer for the British horror flick I knew i had to find a way to get my grubby, zombie lovin' hands on it! Originally this film came out in 20012, but it took until 2013 for those of us in America to get a chance to get it on DVD. Speaking of which, my copy does not come from Scream Factory, but instead Shout! Factory. The cover looks different and it does not have the bonus material that the Scream Factory one has. The one pictured above is what I would look to acquire if I was to buy it again. Anyway, the film was directed by Matthias Hoene and written by James Moran and Lucas Roche. For those who wonder exactly what a "cockney" is then click on this link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney) otherwise here's the story. Without any major spoilers, brothers Terry and Andy MacGuire plan to rob a bank in order to gather together enough funds in order to save their grandfather Ray's retirement home from being demolished by property developers. You see Ray, who incidentally is an ex-gangster, means the world to Terry and Andy. With help from their (much-wiser) cousin Katy and their friend/world's biggest moron Davey Tuppence they hope to do the old in and out and save gramps from (presumably) a life on the streets. Troubles first arise when the group enlists the help of former soldier "Mental" Mickey. If his nickname isn't clue enough then let's just say the this guy is just about as crazy as they come. Armed to the teeth the group's attempt at bank robbery goes terrible wrong. Hostages are taken and suddenly a "simple" robbery turns into a fight for survival as the group literally walks smack dab into a full-blown zombie apocalypse! Knowing that their grandfather and his retirement home friends are not safe the group eventually makes their way to Ray. Do they get there in time? Who survives and who doesn't? No spoilers as this one has to be seen to be appreciated! And if you're a fan of the living dead then there is plenty to appreciate here! As someone who has been watching zombie flicks (as well as horror films in general!) for well over 26 years now I was more then satisfied with the amount of carnage present on "Cockney's vs. Zombies" and I walked away with a favorable impression of the films F/X. It's not as perfect as I would have hoped for though as some of the comedy does occasionally fall-flat and there are a few moments where I was left shaking my head at the inability of a few of the characters to use even an ounce of common sense. Still, given the declining quality of zombie films these days (instead of hundreds of new zombie flicks popping up from everywhere I would be more then willing to settle for just a handful of new projects if they were actually watchable!) a movie like this one goes a long way in my book. It gives me hope that maybe just maybe their might be hope for fans of the classic Romero "ghoul" variety. Once it picks up it flows at a wonderful pace and director Matthias Hoene keeps the cameras focused on the action. As far as it's content it's not suitable for the younger crowd as there is plenty of violence and swearing going on. It has been awhile since I saw it, but I don't recall there being any nudity or what not present in it. But then again this isn't a film where that sort extra "padding" is needed! This is very much a horror comedy where the writers keep their eyes on the prize and don't get bogged down with unnecessary filler. It's all about the living vs. the living dead and trying to get to your loved ones before time runs out!! With Christmas right around the corner "Cockney vs. Zombies" would make a great stocking stuffer for the zombie fanatic in your life and it's a film that I plan to revisit again really soon!

"So, in closing, fuck you METAL MARK. Fuck you, fuck Lynch Mob, and fuck your shitty website!”
“I don't know who this METAL MARK is, but I know better than to waste my time checking out anything else written by this asshole”
-Mike